Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum. Long time reader, first time poster. I did a search about this and couldn't find anything online about it so I figured I'd ask you guys. Hopefully I posted this in the right section. Recently I was talking to a close friend about smoking. He has been smoking for a very long time - about 20+ years. He was telling me the other day that he always burns off the gold coating on pipe screens before using them in his metal pipes. The reason why is because he said pretty much every smoker hes ever known has told him over the years that the gold coating on pipe screens cause Alzheimer's. This friend of mine has really been around and has seen and done many things and met many smokers over the years. I know this friend of mine would never lie to me about something like this. Could this really be true? Has anyone else heard about this? Is this really necessary or is it just an old wives tale that's been passed on over generations? My question is, if this is true then why the hell would the "industry standard" of pipe screens be the typical gold coated ones? Thanks guys - Hopefully I'm not getting anyone paranoid lol
Well, technically people who have Alzeimers have an unusual amount of aluminum in their body. So there is a myth that smoking from aluminum can cause it. Ironically, using Cannabis regularly after the age of 51 will prevent alzeimers forever. I dont smoke from metal OR use metal screens. I use glass pieces with glass screens ONLY.
Gold coated? Hm...no experience with those, they are usually for tobacco pipes. I think everyone here uses the silver colored screens.
The "gold coated" metal screens are BRASS!!! Brass, copper, and lead are VERY dangerous to use, NEVER use them.
no idea, but good question. im not so sure about alzeimers for "gold screens", but i do know that smoking with aluminum foil has been linked to this. avoid foil at all cost. i think this "coating" you are thinking of is brass. brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and i think it can tolerate the temperatures used for smoking without releasing toxins and such. though, reading on wikipedia about brass lets me know that sometimes it is made with lead. i don't think for smoking screens this would be the case though...
I learned in a DNA seminar that some companies are actually selling DNA analysis to see what diseases you will have in your life. Apparently Alzheimers is the only disease they won't tell you your going to have because there's is supposedly no way of stopping it therefore there would be no reason for you to know your brain will be fucked in the future. So from this info alone, I would say the only thing it would do is maybe cause alzheimers to effect those who are destined to get it even quicker.
Thanks for all the input everyone. If the stuff really is harmful, I just cant understand why these screen companies would put this harmful shit on their products? You'd think it would take more effort to have the gold coating (brass or whatever) applied then to just leave it off in the first place. Maybe the next time I stop in a head shop I'll ask one of the workers for a company name for those type of screens and see if I can get to the bottom of this. I'd hate to stop using metal pipes just because of this. Does anyone have any company recommendations for safe screens?
I use stainless steel screens only for my vape. I would recommend using glass screens when burning your herb. Not sure about a company but definately buy from a seller you trust. For example, my local smoke shop is pretty ligit so I trust their screens.
That's just a bit zealous. Do you have any fact to back this up? I thought so. It might be thought to help prevent or reduce the risk of getting it, but by no means is there definitive fact that cannabis will prevent Alzheimer's. The zealots are just as bad as the opposition. /rant Also, you do know what irony is right? Because you're not using it properly in a sentence, as what you described is not irony. Back on topic: Instead of using a screen, use a plug nug. Problem solved.
A small nug big enough to plug the hole of your piece to prevent weed and ashes from being sucked through
OK, so China doesn't give a shit about stoners using their cheap brass screens. Either use a glass screen and pipe or one made from inert Platinum. I never use brass screens and would never ever smoke from a brass pipe. Only idiots use a horrible brass pipe anymore....WHY?